Closure for vacuum bottles and the like

ABSTRACT

The neck of a bottle is closed and sealed by a one-piece cap having a cylindrical portion which surrounds the neck, a deformable end wall which extends across the open end of the neck, and a flexible hose which is integral with the end wall. The outer side of the end wall has a diametrically extending projection consisting of two discrete sections having flat elongated outer surfaces which are parallel to each other when the pressure in the bottle equals the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere and which are inclined with respect to each other when the pressure inthe interior of the bottle is reduced below atmospheric pressure. The person observing the surfaces of the two sections can ascertain the presence and absence as well as the extent of pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the bottle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of the copending application Ser. No.799,946 filed May 24, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,257 granted May 17,1979.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in containers in general,and more particularly to improvements in closures or caps for glassbottles, plastic bottles or analogous containers. Still moreparticularly, the invention relates to improvements in bottles oranalogous containers which can be used for evacuation of pus or otherliquid matter from animal bodies with the assistance fromother-than-atmospheric pressure.

It is known to utilize vacuum-sealed liquid collection bottles inhospitals and similar institutions. The closure of the bottle isconnected with a conduit which is placed adjacent to or into a wound todraw pus from the infected area and to thus promote the heating process.The liquid matter is caused to flow into one end of the conduit byevacuating air from the bottle whose closure is in communication withthe other end of the conduit. As a rule, the conduit is discarded aftera single use.

In certain presently known liquid collection bottles, the closureconsists of a rubber disk which is overlapped by a nut made of syntheticplastic material and having internal threads in mesh with externalthreads on the neck portion of the bottle. The nut biases the diskagainst the end face of the neck portion so that the deformed diskestablishes an airtight seal between the interior and exterior of thebottle. The means for indicating the presence and/or the extent ofvacuum in the bottle forms an intergral part of the disk. To this end,the latter is provided with two notches or recesses bounded at theirouter ends by relatively thin elastic portions which constitutemembranes and undergo deformation when the pressure at the outer side ofthe disk exceeds the pressure in the interior of the bottle. Themembranes carry outwardly extending flags which are retracted into thedisk when the pressure in the interior of the bottle is belowatmospheric pressure. Moreover, the flags move away from each other inresponse to deformation of the respective membranes so that, byobserving the angle between the flags, a person can discern the presenceas well as the extent of subatmospheric pressure in the interior of thebottle. A skilled nurse or another attendant in a hospital can determinewhether or not the pressure in the bottle is sufficiently low to warrantthe attachment of a conduit which is to evacuate liquid matter fromwounds.

The recesses in the elastic disk are actually relatively deep blindbores. This presents problems when the apparatus must be cleaned andsterilized prior to renewed use, i.e., the cleaning of surfacessurrounding the deep blind bores is a time-consuming task and the personin charge is not absolutely sure whether or not such surfaces aresufficiently clean for renewed use of the disk. Furthermore, threadingof the nut onto and detachment of the nut from the neck portion of thebottle are time-consuming procedures.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,628 to Saemann et al. discloses a vacuum indicatingconnection for surgical wound-closing apparatus wherein the open end ofthe neck portion of a bottle is closed by an internally threaded cap andthe open end is sealed by a rubber membrane which is overlapped by thecap and is pressed against the end face of the neck portion. Themembrane is connected with a hose passing through a central opening ofthe end wall of the cap. When the pressure in the bottle is reducedbelow atmospheric pressure, the membrane bulges inwardly and pulls theadjacent end portion of the hose through the opening of the cap and intothe neck portion of the bottle. Since the membrane is not observablefrom without, the patented device comprises a rather complex indicatingsystem which can be observed by an attendant in order to determine theextent of subatmospheric pressure in the bottle. Such system includes asleeve which extends outwardly from the end wall of the cap and has awindow in line with different indicia on the hose. As the hose movesaxially in response to deformation of the membrane, it places differentindicia into register with the window which can be observed fromwithout. The complexity of the indicating system contributes to initialcost and the sterilizing operation must be preceded by a time-consumingdismantling of the apparatus.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved closurefor the neck portion of a glass bottle or an analogous container,especially a closure for bottles which can be used in hospitals andwherein the pressure differs from the pressure of the surroundingatmosphere when the bottles are in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly of a bottleand a closure which latter is simpler than heretofore known closures andis constructed and configurated in such a way that the assembly can betaken apart and reassembled with little loss in time whereby thecomponents of the assembly can be readily and reliably cleaned andsterilized upon detachment of the closure, and which can furnish readilydiscernible indications of the pressure differential between theinterior and exterior of the bottle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple device whichenables an attendant to rapidly detach the closure from the container aswell as to suspend the assembly at a convenient location, e.g., on aselected portion of a bed.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a self-sealingclosure for use in the above outlined assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide the closure with noveland improved means for furnishing readily discernible visual indicationsof the extent of pressure differential between the interior and exteriorof a container which is connected with the closure.

An ancillary object of the invention is to provide a closure wich can beused with many existing types of bottles or analogous containers.

The invention is embodied in the combination of a container including aneck portion having an open end with a closure or cap including asubstantially cylindrical portion surrounding the neck portion of thecontainer and having a first and a second end, and an end wall integralwith the first end of the cylindrical portion and extending across theopen end of the neck portion. The end wall is readily deformable inresponse to establishment of a pressure differential between theinterior and exterior of the container and has an outer side includingmeans for indicating the extent of the pressure differential. Theindicating means includes a plurality of preferably flat discreteelongated surfaces which are parallel to each other when the pressuredifferential equals a given value (preferably zero) and are inclinedwith respect to each other when the pressure differential deviates fromthe given value (e.g., when the pressure differential is such that thepressure in the interior of the container is less than the pressurearound the container). The extent of inclination of the aforementionedsurfaces with respect to each other is indicative of the extent ofdeviation of the pressure differential from the given value.

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment, the outer side ofthe deformable end wall (which may consist of rubber or other suitableelastomeric material) has at least one projection having a plurality ofdiscrete sections which preferably extend radially of the cylindricalportion. The aforementioned surfaces are then provided on the sectionsof the projection. If the projection is a composite rib which extendssubstantially diametrically of the deformable end wall, such rib mayconsist of two elongated sections which are spaced apart by 180 degrees,as considered in the circumferential direction of the cylindricalportion.

If the closure comprises a conduit (e.g., a flexible rubber hose one endportion of which is sealingly connected to and preferably integral withthe end wall substantially centrally of the cylindrical portion andcommunicates with the interior of the container), the elongated surfacespreferably extend substantially radially between the first end of thecylindrical portion and the end portion of the conduit. The outer sideof the end wall of the closure is preferably formed with a centrallylocated concave portion, and the elongated surfaces of the indicatingmeans are preferably remote from the concave portion.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved assembly itself, however, both as to its construction and themode of assembling and dismantling the same, together with additionalfeatures and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal ofthe following detailed description of certain presently preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly including a glass bottle anda closure therefor which embodies one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary axial sectional view of the bottle andan axial sectional view of the closure;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one section of a suspending device forthe closure; and

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the assembly, showing the meansfor indicating the extent of pressure differential between the interiorand exterior of the bottle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container or bottle 1 having a neck portion 8 whichis connected with an elastic closure or cap 2 consisting of rubber orthe like. The cap 2 comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 3which surrounds the neck portion 8 of the bottle 1 and has a lower endprovided with an inwardly extending collar overlying an externalshoulder 8a of the neck portion. The upper or outer end of thecylindrical portion 3 is integral with a transversely extending portionor end wall 4 which overlies the open end of the neck portion 8 andconstitutes a deformable membrane. Thus, when the pressure at the outerside of the end wall 4 exceeds the pressure in the interior of thebottle, the end wall 4 is deformed, i.e., it bulges inwardly to theextent which is indicative of the pressure differential between theinner and outer sides thereof. One of several deformed conditions of theend wall 4 is indicated in FIG. 2 by phantom lines.

The median or central portion of the end wall 4 is integral with one endportion of a flexible conduit or hose 5 whose open (other) end portioncan be coupled to a drainage conduit which is inserted into a wound andserves for evacuation of liquid matter. The central part of the end wall4 is formed with an opening which establishes communication between theinterior of the bottle 1 and the one end portion of the hose 5. Theouter side 4a of the end wall 4 is further formed with at least onediametrically extending projection or rib 6 whose primary purpose is tofacilitate visual determination of the extent of deformation of the endwall in response to evacuation of air from the interior of the bottle 1.The rib 6 and its movements can be readily observed from the exterior ofthe cap 2.

The inner side of the end wall 4 has an annular protuberance or bead 7which is closely adjacent to the inner surface of the neck portion 8 andsealingly engages such inner surface in response to deformation of theend wall 4, i.e., in response to evacuation of air from the interior ofthe bottle 1. An annular groove 9 which surrounds the protuberance 7 andis provided in the inner side of the end wall 4 to receive the outermostpart of the neck portion 8 communicates with at least one radiallyoutwardly extending air-evacuating channel 10 which is formed in thecylindrical portion 3 of the cap 2. Expulsion of air from the interiorof the bottle 1 can be carried out as follows: The hose 5 is sealed andthe bottle 1 is heated so that air which is confined therein expands andescapes by flowing along the path defined by the passage including thegroove 9 and channel or channels 10. The bottle 1 is thereupon cooledwhereby the remnant of entrapped air therein contracts and the pressurein the bottle drops below the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere.The external pressure acts upon the outer side 4a of the end wall 4which is deformed (e.g., to the extent indicated in FIG. 2 by phantomlines) whereby the outer diameter of the protuberance 7 increases andthe protuberance establishes a reliable seal between the cap 2 and theinner surface of the neck portion 8.

The channel or channels 10 can be omitted if the free end portion of thehose 5 contains a removable check valve 19 (shown in FIG. 1) whichallows air to escape from the interior of the bottle during heating butprevents inflow of air during cooling of the bottle.

That end of the cylindrical portion 3 of the cap 2 which is remote fromthe end wall 4 further comprises two outwardly extending projections orlugs 11 which are but need not be located diameterically opposite eachother and have holes 12 for the legs 16 of a yoke-like section 14 of asuspending device 13. The latter further comprises a substantiallyhook-shaped second section 15 which can be used to suspend the bottle 1on a part 20 of a bed in a hospital or a similar institution. The legs16 of the section 14 have inwardly extending bent-over ends 17 (see alsoFIG. 3) which are located below the respective holes 12 and overlie thelower end of the cylindrical portion 3 to insure that the section 14 iscoupled to the cap 2. The upper portion of the section 14 is looped, asat 14a, to define a narrow slit 18 which is open at one end and canreceive a portion of the hose 5. The slit is sufficiently narrow toinsure that the looped portion 14a seals that part of the hose 5 whichis inserted into the slit so that the outer end of the hose is thensealed from the interior of the bottle 1.

The material of the section 14 is preferably at least slightly elastic(this section may consist of steel wire) and the ends 17 can serve theadditional purpose of facilitating detachment of the cap 2 from the neckportion 8. All a person wishing to evacuate the contents of the bottle 1and to thereupon sterilize the parts 1, 2 and 5 has to do is to pull thesection 14 in a direction to detach the cap from the neck portion 8.Such separation of the cap 2 will normally take place when the pressuredifferential between the inner and outer sides of the end wall 4 isrelatively small so that the pressure differential does not offer apronounced resistance to detachment of the cap.

When the intermediate portion of the hose 5 is received in and deformedby the looped portion 14a of the section 14, the check valve 19 at theupper end of the hose can be removed and the hose is then connected withthe aforementioned drainage conduit (not shown) serving for evacuationof liquid matter from a wound. The hose 5 is thereupon withdrawn fromthe slit 18 so that the drainage conduit is in communication with theinterior of the bottle 1.

The upper section 15 of the suspending device 13 has an eyelet 15a whichslidably surrounds a portion of the section 14. As mentioned above, themajor part of the section 15 is hooked so that it can be readilyattached to a hospital bed (part 20 in FIG. 1) in the optimum positionto insure the flow of liquid matter from a wound or abscess into thebottle 1.

The valve 19 can be designed in such a way that it opens when thepressure of the surrounding air (and hence the pressure in the passageincluding the channel or channels 10) exceeds a predetermined pressure(e.g., 1.2 atmospheres superatmospheric pressure). The valve 19 does notopen when the pressure in the bottle 1 exceeds the pressure of thesurrounding atmosphere. The pressure in the bottle is then reducedbecause the gaseous fluid can escape via channel or channels 10. If thechannel or channels 10 are omitted, the check valve 19 is designed insuch a way that it allows air to flow into the bottle 1 when thepressure of the surrounding atmosphere exceeds a preselected value andthe valve allows air to flow from the interior of the bottle when thepressure of the surrounding atmosphere is below a preselected value. Inother words, when the channel or channels 10 are omitted, the valveconstitutes a safety valve wich opens when the pressure in the bottle ishigher than the pressure around the bottle. The exact construction ofthe check valve 19 forms no part of the invention; this element mayconstitute a commercially available mass-produced article.

FIG. 4 shows that the rib 6 comprises two aligned sections or halves 6a,6b at the opposite sides of the hose 5. When the pressure in the bottle1 equals atmospheric pressure, the flat elongated surfaces 6a', 6b' ofthe sections 6a, 6b are parallel to each other. If the pressure in thebottle 1 is reduced below atmospheric pressure, the surfaces 6a', 6b'are inclined with respect to each other, i.e., they make an obliqueangle. The absence of parallelism is readily observable by a physicianor nurse so that such person is informed of the fact that the pressurein the bottle is below atmospheric pressure. The physician or nurse canalso estimate the extent of pressure differential between the interiorand exterior of the bottle 1 by the magnitude of oblique angle betweenthe surfaces 6a' and 6b'. A smaller angle denotes a more pronouncedvacuum in the bottle 1, and vice versa.

The closure can have two ribs 6 which are normal to each other. In suchclosures, the extent of mutual inclination of the (four) sections of theribs can be more readily ascertained than in the closure of FIG. 4. Itis also possible to employ a rib with three or five preferablyequidistant sections, as considered in the circumferential direction ofthe hose 5. All that counts is to provide the end wall 4 with aprojection including sections (such as 6a, 6b) having surfaces which areparallel to each other when the pressure in the bottle 1 matchesatmospheric pressure and which are mutually inclined when the pressurein the bottle is reduced. The surfaces 6a', 6b' extend radially of thehose 5 and cylindrical portion 3, and are angularly offset from eachother by 180 degrees. These surfaces are remote from the concave centralportion 4b of the outer side 4a of the end wall 4. The portion 4b isdisposed centrally of the cylindrical portion 3.

The human eye is capable of readily discerning the absence of exactparallelism of two or more normally parallel elongated flat surfaces aswell as the extent to which the surfaces are inclined with respect toeach other. Thus, once a nurse, a physician or even a patient is awareof the fact that the absence of exact parallelism of the surfaces 6a',6b' denotes the establishment of a pressure differential between theinterior and exterior of a container, such person will be in a positionto ascertain the pressure in the container with a surprisingly highdegree of accuracy.

An important advantage of the rib 6 is that it constitutes an extremelysimple but highly reliable means for indicating the extent of pressuredifferential. Moreover, the indicating means is readily accessible andcan be observed in several directions. There is no need to employgraduated scales or other means for indicating the extent of deformationof the end wall 4.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contributionto the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended tobe comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. The combination of a container including a neck portionhaving an open end with a detachable closure comprising a substantiallycylindrical portion surrounding said neck portion and having a first anda second end, and an end wall integral with said first end and extendingacross said open end, said end wall being deformable in response toestablishment of a pressure differential between the interior andexterior of said container and having an outer side including means forindicating the extent of said pressure differential, said indicatingmeans including at least one projection having a plurality of discretesections and a plurality of surfaces provided on said sections, saidsurfaces being parallel to each other when said pressure differentialequals a given value, and inclined with respect to each other when saidpressure differential deviates from said given value.
 2. The combinationof claim 1 wherein, at said given value, the pressure differentialbetween the interior and exterior of said container is zero.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein the extent of inclination of saidsurfaces with respect to each other is indicative of the extent ofdeviation of said pressure differential from said given value.
 4. Thecombination of claim 1, wherein said surfaces are flat.
 5. Thecombination of claim 4, wherein said surfaces include first and secondsurfaces which extend radially of said cylindrical portion.
 6. Thecombination of claim 5, wherein said first and second surfaces areelongated and angularly offset with respect to each other by 180degrees.
 7. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a conduithaving an end portion sealingly connected with said end wallsubstantially centrally of said cylindrical portion and communicatingwith the interior of said container, said surfaces extendingsubstantially radially of said cylindrical portion between said firstend and said end portion.
 8. The combination of claim 1, wherein saidend wall consists of elastomeric material.
 9. The combination of acontainer including a neck portion having an open end with a detachableclosure comprising a substantially cylindrical portion surrounding saidneck portion and having a first and a second end, and an end wallintegral with said first end and extending across said open end, saidend wall being deformable in response to establishment of a pressuredifferential between the interior and the exterior of said container andhaving an outer side having a centrally located concave portion andincluding means for indicating the extent of said pressure differential,said indicating means including a plurality of flat surfaces remote fromsaid concave portion and being parallel to each other when said pressuredifferential equals a given value, and inclined with respect to eachother when said pressure differential deviates from said given value.